


butterflies

by moonlitceleste



Series: Maribat Platonic November 2020 [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Maribat - Fandom, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Family Feels, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:02:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27464635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlitceleste/pseuds/moonlitceleste
Summary: Maribat Platonic November Day 1 - Butterfly
Relationships: Batfamily Members & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Jason Todd
Series: Maribat Platonic November 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2006653
Kudos: 84





	butterflies

As a child, Marinette loved butterflies. Delicate gossamer wings, pretty colors and patterns—she had always admired the beauty of the seemingly magical, fluttering creatures. Whenever she saw one hovering about she would gasp in delight. Their metamorphosis never failed to amaze her, and Marinette grew up wishing she could transform just like that.

As a teen, the sight of a butterfly made her gasp in fear, and in dread of imminent danger. Butterflies no longer seemed magical; they  _ were _ magical. Each time she spotted one, Marinette would transform into her red-and-black spotted uniform and prepare for battle. Day after day she would fight against victims who were controlled by those butterflies, and soon enough the creatures changed from a symbol of beauty and growth into one of darkness and destruction.

Now, Marinette viewed butterflies as an important part of her life. Perhaps she would never love them like she did before, but she had undergone her own metamorphosis. She struggled and broke out of the shell that was containing her in order to spread her wings.

It didn’t hurt that she had people there to help her through those dark times. It had been a year since Hawkmoth’s defeat, two years since she started hating butterflies. Now she took that power back in the best way she knew—she created.

Marinette smiled as she walked through the park, snowflakes slowly drifting down around her.  _ Butterflies,  _ MDC’s newest fashion line, had been released earlier that day. The collection of butterfly-themed and inspired clothing meant resilience and strength—not just for her, but for Paris. Maybe the damage Hawkmoth had done could never be reversed, but they could heal from it.

At her sides were the people who had become her family, who had helped  _ her  _ heal. They stood by her while she cried, comforted her when she woke up in a panic from nightmares. When she shot up in terror at the sight of a butterfly, they reminded her that it was okay. That she would be okay.

A nudge broke her from her thoughts, and Marinette looked over at Stephanie, who had elbowed her.

“Hm?”

Her breath left a puff of white in the frigid winter air. The blonde gestured and Marinette turned her head to see a little girl standing in front of her, looking at her with wide eyes. She looked young, around how old Manon was when Marinette first started babysitting her.

“Hi,” Marinette greeted with a smile. She leaned down in an effort to be comforting, since she knew how intimidating and freakishly tall the rest of the Wayne family was.

“Are you Marinette?” the little girl asked.

“Yes, I am,” she responded. “What’s your name?”

“Nadine.”

_ Hope. _

“My mommy wanted me to tell you something.”

At these words, Marinette exchanged a concerned glance with Jason, who was to her right.

“Yes?”

“I used to think butterflies were scary because of the scary man, but I like them now. Your clothes make them pretty.”

Oh. Marinette felt her eyes sting.

“Thank you,” she said, wrapping her arms around the girl in a hug. Nadine smiled and returned the hug before pulling away to run back over to her mom.

Marinette watched her leave, staring blankly ahead. Unknown emotion filled her body.

“Hey,” a soft voice prompted.

Jason was looking at her with concern evident in his eyes, alongside the rest of the Waynes.

“You okay?”

Marinette smiled at him through the tears in her eyes, at the family she had grown to love so much.  _ Her _ family. She took a deep breath.

“Yeah,” she said. “I am.”

Butterflies weren’t so bad anymore.


End file.
